The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-08-21
DIGNITY OF LABOR.


An Eloquent Appeal TO Those Unfortunatcs
Who Can '.Find Nothing to Do"
There is dignity in labor. 1t does
not narrow down the mental powers
and the individual dignity. as is too
often asserted; but if pursued with .
proper appreciation Of its incalculable
assistance to human happiness, and
made subservient to the great plan Of
human life, is cnnobling, and itself en-
allied.
An idle man no more respects hiua-
self than do others respect him. He
feels that he is fit and exposed object
for others jeers and light remarks.
He lacks an internal feeling of dignity.
that is the noblest of all the impulses
by which he is controlled and his life
made bright example. He sees 9TH
ers at work around him, and feels a
sense of isolation come over him that
is perpetually gnawing at the huge pile
of happiness he had laid away for the
good time when he should have MOTH
ing to do. In his expected happiness
he is of all men most miserable. Some
thing is wanting to give a zcst to the
pleasures he is continually trying to
enter upon. There hangs an unde-
fined and undefinable gloom about his
horizon. His blood flows sluggishly.
He looks forward to nothing. because
his all is right about him in the stag
nant present. His pleasures pail on
his taste. He is cloycd with the very
sweetness he had SO wistfully coveted.
He envies the jolly, red-faced draymen,
dragging at their loads of boxes, bales
and barrels. The very sweep looks
happy to his eye, because he seems to
go into his work with signs of ANNA.
ton. Oh! the misery of literally hav-
ing nothing to do! nothing to do!
Some drones are always hanging
about the doors of the worlds busy
hive, complaining that they can find
nothing to do; that the avenues to dis
tinction, to fortune and to happiness
are all choked up with the jostling
masses. This has ever been the la.
mentation Of these pitiful fellows since
the world began to revolvc on its axis.
Can find nothing to doP Look about
you and see! Have you looked yet? II
you have, have you looked as n laborel
would go about the work actually be.
fore him? There is room enough in
the wide world for all the willing hand,
that wish to go into the fields of labor,
But You can not find work by waiting
for it. 1t does not walk round to every
man, carrying its own polite note of in.
vitation. 1t comes only of seeking and
of asking. Its skirts are got hold OF
by the assistance of strong will
Your practical men are always busy
about something. They are not dream.
ers. They put their hand to whatever
comes uppermost, whether it be the
fail or the sledgc, the hoe or the chisel
and so they take their rank with the
rest of the worlds workers. But the
professcd genius is meanwhile dream
ing over its prospects, building its PEG
pied castles, waving its wand backward
and forward over the whole earth, in
hopes that something fortunate may
turn up of itself.
To this numerous class we heartily
commend the following short passage
from an eloquent Grafton delivered
some time since. Read it and reflec
upon it, that some profit may grow
from the same:
"Sit not with folded hands calling OF
Hercules. Thine own arm is the demi
god. 1t was given to thee to help thy
self. Exalt thine adopted profession
nor vainly hope that its name alon,
will exalt thee. Look on labor as hon
orablc, and dignity the task befor,
thee, whether it be in the study, office
counting-room, workshop or furrowet
field. There is an equality in all, ant
the resolutc will and pure heart ma,
| enoble either.
"But no duty requires thee to shu
out beauty, or to neglect the influence
that may unite with Heaven. TIL
wonders of art will humanize the call
ing. The true poet may make thee bet
ter man, and unknown feelings will
well up within thee, where the pain
er's soul glows on canvass, and the al
most breathing marble stands glori
Gus monument of the statuary's skill.
Mature, too, will speak kindly T.
| thee from field and forest, from hill ant
lakeside. Go into glade and woodland
by the waving harvest, and the brigh
river hurrying to the sea- Look up a
the stars in the still night. Listen l.
the gentle voice of the south wind, a
it whispers with the pines. Watch tn
puisations of the ocean, as they rcgu
larly beat on the sand. Such teaching
will tell thee there is consolation in tn
struggles of this life, and may fore
shadow the repose Of that which is t.
come. "-Boston Budget.